Syria National Coalition Threatens to Pull Out of Peace Talks Over Invitation to Iran

Doesn't want Assad's ally to participate

Syria's political opposition said on Monday it would withdraw its attendance at international peace talks scheduled this week unless United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon retracted an invitation to Iran, President Bashar al-Assad's main backer.

Ban said earlier he had invited Iran to attend the first day of talks on 22 January in Montreux, Switzerland, and that Tehran had pledged to play a "positive and constructive role" if it was asked to participate.